Saudi women being tracked electronically

[Sunnichick31]

This is disgusting. There aren't even words. I am glad though that it was condemned on Twitter. At least the citizens of KSA are sane, even if the government isn't.

arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/190262/reftab/73/t/Electronic-tracking-of-Saudi-women-started/Default.aspx

[CynicMom]

This is the world religious fanatics desire for us. My favorite quote:

“If I need an SMS to let me know my wife is leaving Saudi Arabia, then I’m either married to the wrong woman or need a psychiatrist."

[BravaAmica]

How are they doing that? Through their cell phones? Or does airport security automatically send a text message for each Saudi female leaving the country?

[Effie]

This is hard to take... I defend Islam by claiming it's a peaceful religion (most people seem to think I'm deluded). It's hard to defend a religion when there are people doing so much evil and justifying it by referring to their religious texts...

Saudi Arabia applies a strict interpretation of sharia, or Islamic law, and is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive.

But... could you really justify the imprisonment of women with the sharia laws? (I just started reading the sharia laws this week though, so I don't really know much.)

[Sunnichick31]

This is hard to take... I defend Islam by claiming it's a peaceful religion (most people seem to think I'm deluded). It's hard to defend a religion when there are people doing so much evil and justifying it by referring to their religious texts...

But... could you really justify the imprisonment of women with the sharia laws? (I just started reading the sharia laws this week though, so I don't really know much.)

Total imprisonment is not part of Islam. It's cultural, and sadly, some people combine the two of them and intrepret and twist religious texts to fit their agenda. Also, a lot of misintrepretation happens when people don't look at context. Just an example (even though it has nothing to do with women)- one of the Prophet's companions, Abu Bakr, gave all his wealth to the cause of Islam. One might look at that and say that it's halal to give up everything for Islam. However, another man (can't remember who) wanted to do the same and Mohammad wouldn't let him. One could look at that and say it's haram to give everything. Seems contradictory, no? This is where context comes in. Mohammad knew that Abu Bakr had very strong faith and he would not regret what he had done and if he did, he wouldn't turn to begging or stealing, he would rely on God for his provisions. The other man wasn't quite as strong, and Mohammad worried that he might regret giving all of his wealth.

The point-I feel like Saudi Arabia and other extremists only look at one side of things, and they don't even bother to look at the context of that one side.

[mirele]

How are they doing that? Through their cell phones? Or does airport security automatically send a text message for each Saudi female leaving the country?

It's done using the new passports Saudi Arabia is issuing. The electronic chip sends an SMS message to the woman's mahram (guardian).

I have to wonder how long it's going to be before someone thinks it's just a grand idea to put chips inside the women/girls. After all, if it's good enough for our dogs and cats, why not to our animate human property?

The only reasons why Saudi Arabia has this power are (a) because it is the home of the two most important sites in Islam (Makkah and Madinah) and (b) it has a lot of oil. If it didn't have those two things, it wouldn't be much of anything.

[Effie]

Total imprisonment is not part of Islam. It's cultural, and sadly, some people combine the two of them and intrepret and twist religious texts to fit their agenda. Also, a lot of misintrepretation happens when people don't look at context. Just an example (even though it has nothing to do with women)- one of the Prophet's companions, Abu Bakr, gave all his wealth to the cause of Islam. One might look at that and say that it's halal to give up everything for Islam. However, another man (can't remember who) wanted to do the same and Mohammad wouldn't let him. One could look at that and say it's haram to give everything. Seems contradictory, no? This is where context comes in. Mohammad knew that Abu Bakr had very strong faith and he would not regret what he had done and if he did, he wouldn't turn to begging or stealing, he would rely on God for his provisions. The other man wasn't quite as strong, and Mohammad worried that he might regret giving all of his wealth.

The point-I feel like Saudi Arabia and other extremists only look at one side of things, and they don't even bother to look at the context of that one side.

Thank you for explaining, Sunnichick! I guess it's the exact same our usual fundies (baptists) are doing...

I have to wonder how long it's going to be before someone thinks it's just a grand idea to put chips inside the women/girls. After all, if it's good enough for our dogs and cats, why not to our animate human property?

I bet they are working on it now... :angry-fire:

[emmiedahl]

Like all religions, Islam can be used to justify immense abuse or acts of great holiness. The justifications say more about the individual than the religion.

I worked at a college that I also attended, and one of the professors was going through a decent amount of hardship because his wife had decided to go back to school. They were Muslim, not very traditional but definitely religious. I mentioned how much she must appreciate his support of her career and he said that in his religion, husbands are mandated to provide education for their wives, and also not entitled to her future earnings beyond that which she decided of her own will to give to the household. He had verses to back this up. I always wonder how the Taliban interprets these verses.

[JesusFightClub]

Total imprisonment is not part of Islam. It's cultural, and sadly, some people combine the two of them and intrepret and twist religious texts to fit their agenda. Also, a lot of misintrepretation happens when people don't look at context. Just an example (even though it has nothing to do with women)- one of the Prophet's companions, Abu Bakr, gave all his wealth to the cause of Islam. One might look at that and say that it's halal to give up everything for Islam. However, another man (can't remember who) wanted to do the same and Mohammad wouldn't let him. One could look at that and say it's haram to give everything. Seems contradictory, no? This is where context comes in. Mohammad knew that Abu Bakr had very strong faith and he would not regret what he had done and if he did, he wouldn't turn to begging or stealing, he would rely on God for his provisions. The other man wasn't quite as strong, and Mohammad worried that he might regret giving all of his wealth.

The point-I feel like Saudi Arabia and other extremists only look at one side of things, and they don't even bother to look at the context of that one side.

Sunnichick, you are excellent at explaning points of Islamic faith. PLS DO THIS MORE.

That made a point I've never "got" completely clear. Thank you.

[luckylibrarian]

Thanks for explaining this, Sunnichick. I'm glad you're back. :)

[LIzzieB]

I find this appalling and very worrying that a government is enforcing this. If they didn't have so much oil, I'm sure that other countries would have placed embargos on them just as they did with South Africa and apartheid. But, oil and money come before women's rights...

We have a young Saudi family living next door, here for a short time while the father studies. The mother almost never leaves the house, usually only with her husband in the car. I think it looks like such a lonely existence - she has no other family here, and no one comes to visit, but she's trapped inside with two young children all day.

I don't know that the parents are coping with their kids, as the children scream like banshees all day, and bash the windows and walls. They shut them outside (18m & 3y) and the kids just scream more and bash on the doors for 15 mins at a time. I spoke to the dad the other day and he admitted that they have no control over the kids and he finds it hard to study. He generally doesn't even say hi or look at me, but will speak to my partner - so he didn't like it at all when I challenged him about his behaviour.

I don't see him interact with his wife at all, but I really hope that I didn't make things harder for her by complaining about the kids. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a strange country and isolated by cultural practices that don't allow social interaction, and lacking any support in child-rearing. I imagine that in Saudi, there would be a better support network and involvement with female relatives, but here in our heathen country, there's not much at all. They are meant to be going back to Saudi soon, so hopefully things will be better for all of them.

Usually, I try to withhold judgement on different people's culture, but significantly restricting the lives and movements of half your population based only on their sex is very hard to stomach.